


Quest For A Clue

by kcstories



Category: Merlin (BBC)
Genre: Community: merlinadvent, F/F, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-12-04
Updated: 2008-12-04
Packaged: 2017-10-08 09:24:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/75186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kcstories/pseuds/kcstories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur likes to tease Gwen with her crush on Merlin, but not for the first time, his observation skills leave something to be desired.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quest For A Clue

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: None of these characters are mine.   
> Pairing: Morgana/Gwen (pre-Arthur/Merlin implied)   
> Warnings: Some fluff and silliness. Not S2-compatible.

"What's the matter?" Morgana asks, looking up from the large piece of parchment in front of her. When she first heard the door open, she more than welcomed the distraction from the tedious task of putting together a guest list for the end of year festivities, but then she noticed the furious look on Gwen's face. "Did something bad happen?"

"Bad?" Gwen shakes her head, plops herself down on the chair next to Morgana's, and smiles wryly. "No, not really. It was just... Arthur. He wanted to know if I ever plan to do anything about my crush on Merlin. Came down to the kitchen especially to ask me, it seemed."

"Really?" Morgana's grin is somewhere between amused and downright devious. "He actually asked you a straightforward question? That's certainly an interesting change from all his not-so-subtle innuendoes in the past."

Gwen nods. "He said, 'You fancy Merlin, don't you, Guinevere?', emphasising every syllable of my name like he had some kind of point to make, and then: 'Ever plan to do anything about it, by any chance?' It almost sounded like a challenge. Maybe it was. You know what he's like."

"Oh dear." Morgana chuckles. "And...?"

Gwen frowns. "And what?"

"Do you plan to do anything about it, Guinevere; your crush on our little Merlin?"

Gwen grins, too. Despite herself, her irritation is already fading. "Please, don't you start as well," she says. "I haven't the faintest notion why he keeps bringing that up; or where he even got the idea from in the first place. I know he doesn't know about"—she gestures between them—"_us_, but nonetheless... I hardly dote on Merlin, do I?"

Morgana smiles. "No," she replies softly. "It's obvious that you care for him a great deal, but in the way a friend does, or possibly even a sister... Then again, it's no secret Arthur can't distinguish one kind of love from another. Who knows? Maybe one of these days, when we're not looking, he'll actually grow a brain."

Gwen gives a small smile, but then adds, sounding serious again, "I must say, it's been getting worse, though."

"Worse? How do you mean, worse?" All of a sudden, there's a sharp edge to Morgana's tone. She's no longer amused, only protective, worried and possibly a bit affronted, too. "He hasn't managed to get under your skin, has he?"

She quickly shakes her head. "No, I don't mean that. I can handle Arthur. I was referring to... his interest in Merlin, how he deals with it. It's beginning to border on..."

"Obsession?"

Gwen nods. "Yes, and in a sense, he seems.... possessive of him, too."

"Hm, I see your point." For a moment, Morgana hesitates, but then decides to speak her thoughts aloud. "Perhaps we should give those two a push in the right direction."

"Oh?"

"This nonsense has to stop, don't you think? They've been dancing around one another for ages, and well, if Arthur has now taken to bothering you about it." She smiles. "We can't have that, can we?"

"I-I suppose not. So, did you have something in mind?"

"Hm, nothing concrete yet, but give me some time to think about it. I expect we'll have to be subtle about it, and cunning... You know what most men are like when it comes to understanding their feelings, never mind admitting to them. I'm certain that goes double for knights, and triple for princes..."

"And then multiply by ten when it concerns Arthur?" Gwen grins. "Just as well you and I never had that problem," she says softly, recalling the first time she realised how she really felt about her mistress.

On a cold winter day, just over a year ago now, Morgana fell off her horse when it bolted. One of the men who were chopping wood in the forest at the time carried the lady back to the castle. Gwen tended to her cuts and bruises, watched over her as she slept, and when it suddenly, painfully, occurred to her how much worse things might have been—it had been a pretty nasty fall—she couldn't resist pressing a gentle kiss to Morgana's lips.

Gwen knew it was an inappropriate thing to do, but all the worries of the past few hours were finally taking their toll.

In that very moment, Morgana's eyes flew wide open. Startled, Gwen pulled back, embarrassed and convinced she'd be sent away soon, shamed and forced to seek other employment.

Instead, however, Morgana smiled, leaned forward despite the excruciating pain in her back and shoulders, and instigated a second kiss.

"Good point," Morgana, back in the present, says. She, too, is thinking of the fateful day that changed everything. Smiling, she leans closer to Gwen and kisses her.

Lost in the moment, neither woman hears the door open, nor do they notice a third presence until a shocked gasp almost makes them jump. They break apart abruptly to find Arthur standing in the middle of the room, mouth hanging open, eyes wide, and looking nothing like royalty, or even nobility, in his gobsmacked state.

"Hello, Arthur," Morgana says simply, in the most neutral tone she can manage—truly, the urge to start laughing again is all but overwhelming. "Was there something you wanted?"

"Ah," he mumbles. "Wanted, yeah. Yes." Then he composes himself, almost, before blurting out, "You two were kissing!"

"You would do well to knock before entering," Morgana states plainly. "Aren't you forever telling Merlin the same thing?"

Even more confused, Arthur blinks. "What thing?"

"Knock before you enter," Morgana reiterates. She struggles to keep her ever-growing amusement out of her voice, and only half-succeeds. Luckily Arthur is still too baffled to realise he's being mocked.

"Oh. Yes. Right. B-But…" He rakes a hand through his hair. Morgana wishes she could preserve this moment in time, somehow freeze the image in front of her and show the prince's facial expression to a few others around the castle. Gaius would be most amused. Perhaps Merlin, too.

"But you're... girls," Arthur finally finishes, lamely.

"It's perfectly all right for women to kiss, Sire," Gwen states, somewhat irritated at his use of the word 'girls'.

"And for men, too," Morgana adds, giving Arthur a pointed look.

"What the hell are you implying?" he snaps, suddenly defensive.

"Nothing at all," Morgana replies, a little to kindly. "Now, what did you want? I assume you didn't just barge in for the fun of it?"

"Fun? Er, no. Just wondering if, by any chance, either of you has seen Merlin?"

"Yes," Gwen says. "I bumped into him on my way here. He went to gather some herbs. Gaius wants to brew more cough medicine. There's a nasty cold going around."

"Ah? He went into the forest, then?"

"Yes," both women reply at the same time.

"All right. Thank you," Arthur says. He turns on his heel and it looks to Morgana as though he can't get out of the room fast enough.

"So," Gwen says as soon as he's out of earshot. "Do you suppose he's beginning to catch on yet? After seeing the two of us..."

"Hm." Morgana ponders on that for a short moment. "That might be a tad too optimistic, but perhaps he'll get a clue once springtime rolls around."

Gwen grins.

"There is one good thing to be said about his Highness's interruption, though," Morgana continues.

"What's that?"

"We now know with absolute certainty that he won't be back to bother us for an hour at least," she says, and with that, moves closer to kiss Gwen again. Sorting out the guest list can wait one more day.


End file.
